Stefano Garzelli not going to Saxo Bank
Team Saxo Bank has denied the reports of Stefano Garzelli joining the Danish side. It was reported earlier by Gazzetta dello Sport that the former Giro d’ Italia winner will join the team to support Alberto Contador at the 2012 Grand Tours.
It was reported by Gazzetta dello Sport that Stefano will continue to ride with his existing team, Acqua & Sapone, for the Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo before signing Saxo Bank.
The team’s spokesman, Anders Damgaard told Ekstrabladet.dk, “I can deny it. There is absolutely nothing to the story”.
The claims were also denied by Stefano’s brother and manager earlier, “Stefano was on the point of going to Saxo Bank in August, when the two parties were really very close, but after a meeting with [team manager] Palmiro Masciarelli at the Giro di Padania,
Stefano decided to commit again to the Acqua & Sapone project”.
The cyclist won the Italian Grand Tour in 2000 and faced great disappointment when his team, Acqua and Sapone, failed to receive a wild card invitation to the race.
Frustrated on missing out the invitation, Stefano also briefed that he might retire from the sport.
He has a maximum number of 19 Grand Tour appearances to his name, 13 Giros, five Tours and one Vuelta a Espana under his belt.
He is considered as one of the best stage race riders, considering his achievements over the past years.
The cyclist has represented a number of teams, including Mercatone Uno, Mapei-Quick Step, Vini Caldirola-So.di, Liquigas-Bianchi and Acqua & Sapone during his long 16-year career.
Another fact that points towards the direction of Garzelli not joining the Danish squad is that there is no vacant spot in the team to include the experienced cyclist.
UCI rules suggest that a World Tour team may not have more than 30 riders and is also bound to include two neo-professionals.
A total number of 29 cyclists are already riding for Saxo Bank, with Rafal Majka as the only neo for the side.
If the team really employs one more cyclist for its 2012 campaign, it has to be a neo professional, which rules Stefano out of the equation.
Whether Garzelli continues his professional quest or not is uncertain at this point. However, it is definite that the cyclist will be cheered by his fans across the globe, regardless of which team he chooses to ride with.
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